Peter and Brenda’s Adventures

 Sadly, today is our last day in Fiji. 🇫🇯  While we enjoyed a lovely breakfast this Friday morning, in Ontario they are sitting down for an evening meal, Thursday, and in British Columbia they just finished lunch, Thursday. We will leave in the evening of Friday and reach North America in the early afternoon of Friday. Time is a funny thing when you travel.

 Over three thousand years ago, Homo sapiens sailed the Pacific Ocean and found the island now known as Fiji.  Those early peoples, the Lapita, settled here and on other near by islands.  While the first European to land here was Abel Tasman in 1683, it was the British who eventually colonized the Islands. In 1970 Fiji gained its independence.  This nation is comprised of 330 islands, one third of which are inhabited.  As the sunset we were treated to an evening of cultural experiences and foods on nearby Liguria island.  After a thirty minute boat ride we were welcomed with fire.  Traditional Sevusevu ceremony and the Kava beverage. Dinner, a Fijian Lovo, was cooked in an earth oven . Once the food was removed, a few brave Fijians demonstrated fire walking, dancing over the hot coals. After dinner cultural dances paid homage to Fiji’s rich history. Fire, a gift from the people of Samoa, played a vital role in the development of Fijian society and was ...

 We booked a few days at a resort to relax. Turns out this is harder than we thought.  We rose early to check out the place. We walked the various paths We sipped tropical beverages. And enjoyed a dip in the various pools.  Until, alas, the setting sun marked the day’s end. 

 After a long day, it was time for StoryVille. A hidden gem of fantasy, this bar is one of Eve’s favourites and it is easy to see why.  Glowing mushrooms hung from the walls and pink and purple wisteria hung from the ceiling.  The menu promised beverages that reflected age old classics like Beauty and the Beast and Alice in Wonderland and the more recent Harry Potter series. Goldilock’s Too Hot Margaritas  Huckleberry Fizz Love Potion Belle’s Rose The smoky infusion added a new twist to this whiskey, pineapple and rose water beverage.   

 A growing city, Melbourne needed a market space for farmers and others to sell their goods. In 1857, this area was chosen for the new market. At the time it was a cemetery for over 10,000 early settlers and prior to that a cemetery for the indigenous peoples. Families were given funds from the government to move the bodies of loved ones, however some took the money and the headstone, leaving their loved one in situ. This land was located next to a women’s prison, one wall of which was incorporated into a market structure.  Today, the market is bustling. Sitting on 7 acres of land, the market is host to 600 vendors and was our destination for the morning.  Rows and rows of stalls, organized in sheds by type of product, was a feast for the senses.  The produce markets featured familiar and not so familiar fruits and vegetables.  Eggs: Quail, Duck, Ostrich, Free-Range, Organic…you name it, this vendor had them. We picked up flowers for Peter and Eve and Andrew and...

 Tucked amid towering office buildings in the heat is Melbourne’s central business district is a quiet oasis.  Built in 1845, this is the oldest Catholic Church in Victoria.  While the nave is unremarkable but for its age, the side chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary is extraordinarily rich with stained glass and works of art. 

Established in 1841, the Post Office ran from this site while the current building was constructed between 1861-1867. As a new town and then city, all city distances were calculated from this location. When the Post Office moved in the 1990’s the site became a retail space that is currently an H&M location. Thus now all distances in Melbourne are measured from the H&M.

Established in 1838, the Yering Station winery hosted our first wine tasting of this day. Here we learned about their wine making process and sampled six wines: a sparkling Cuvée, Chardonnay, Pino Noir, Shiraz Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon and a fortified wine.  The next stop was at De Bortoli Wines, Australia’s second largest winery, established in 1928.  The leaves of each grape variety changes colours differently in the fall, painting a colourful vistas.  Understanding that many of their guests must travel, this winery has pre-packed suitcases ready for the connoisseur.  Here we sampled five wines: a Cuvée, a Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Semillon, each paired with a cheese: goat cheese, triple cream Brie, two Raclettes, and Blue Cheese.  Happy day! 

 Dedicated to the conservation and restoration of Australian wildlife, Healesville Sanctuary was our first stop this morning.  Here we were treated to seeing Echidna  Red Kangaroo This female red kangaroo with a Joey in her pouch Tree-kangaroo Rock Wallaby  Dingo Pademelon Gang Gang Cockatoos And many more native birds and animals.